Method for treating plants

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for treating plants, comprising: (S 100 ) connecting a first, in particular substantially stationarily arranged applicator, which has a first polarity, a second, in particular substantially stationarily arranged applicator, which has a second polarity, and a third, in particular substantially stationarily arranged applicator, which has the first polarity, of at least one applicator unit to a controlled constant-power source, (S 200 ) bringing the first applicator and the second applicator into contact with a plant stem and/or leaves of a plant, and the second applicator and the third applicator into contact with the plant stem and/or the leaves of the plant, in succession and/or at the same time, in particular without the applicators making contact with the ground, (S 300 ) applying electrical direct current to the contacted plant stem and/or the leaves of the plant, and (S 400 ) maintaining a substantially constant electrical power by using the controlled constant-power source.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for treating plants, comprising:
 connecting a first applicator having a first polarity, a second applicator having a second polarity, and a third applicator having the first polarity to a source of electrical direct current, wherein the first applicator is spaced apart from the second applicator at a substantially constant distance; 
 bringing the first applicator and the second applicator into contact with a plant; 
 applying the electrical direct current via the first applicator and the second applicator to the plant; 
 bringing the second applicator and the third applicator into contact with the plant, wherein the second applicator and the third applicator first contact the plant after the first applicator and the second applicator contact the plant; 
 applying the electrical direct current via the second applicator and the third applicator to the plant; and 
 controlling the source of electrical direct current that is connected to the first applicator, the second applicator and the third applicator so as to maintain the electrical direct current at a substantially constant level, wherein the source of electrical direct current is a control circuit that controls the electrical direct current output by the source to provide a constant power, and wherein the source of electrical direct current is controlled to provide an electrical direct current having a residual ripple of 5% to 20%. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein at some point in time the first applicator, the second applicator and the third applicator are all simultaneously in contact with the plant. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a first applicator unit includes the first applicator, the second applicator and the third applicator, and wherein the first applicator, the second applicator and the third applicator are arranged transversely to a direction of movement of the first applicator unit spaced successively apart from one another. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 connecting a fourth applicator, a fifth applicator, and a sixth applicator to the source of electrical direct current, wherein a second applicator unit includes the fourth applicator, the fifth applicator and the sixth applicator, wherein the fourth applicator, the fifth applicator and the sixth applicator are arranged longitudinally to the direction of movement of the first applicator unit spaced apart from one another. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the electrical direct current is applied via the first applicator unit to the plant for a first period of time, wherein the electrical direct current is applied via the second applicator unit to the plant for a second period of time, wherein the second period of time is longer than the first period of time when the plant extends substantially transversely to the direction of movement of the first applicator unit, and wherein the second period of time is shorter than the first period of time when the plant extends substantially longitudinally along the direction of movement of the first applicator unit. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the substantially constant distance varies by no more than 10% as the first applicator unit moves in the direction of movement of the first applicator unit. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating a first electric field between the first applicator and the second applicator by connecting the first applicator and the second applicator to the source of electrical direct current; and 
 generating a second electric field between the second applicator and the third applicator by connecting the second applicator and the third applicator to the source of electrical direct current, wherein the first electric field has a magnitude that is larger than that of the second electric field. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating a first electric field between the first applicator and the second applicator by connecting the first applicator and the second applicator to the source of electrical direct current; and 
 generating a second electric field between the second applicator and the third applicator by connecting the second applicator and the third applicator to the source of electrical direct current; and 
 controlling the electrical direct current such that the first electric field has a magnitude that is equal to that of the second electric field when the first applicator, the second applicator and the third applicator simultaneously contact the plant. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first applicator and the second applicator are brought into contact with a stem of the plant and with a leaf of the plant. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first applicator and the second applicator are brought into contact with the plant without allowing the first applicator or the second applicator to contact the ground. 
     
     
       11. A device for treating plants, comprising:
 a source of electrical direct current, wherein the source of electrical direct current is configured so as to output the electrical direct current at a substantially constant power, and wherein the source of electrical direct current is controlled to provide an electrical direct current having a residual ripple of 5% to 20%; and 
 a first applicator unit that includes a first applicator, a second applicator and a third applicator, wherein the first applicator, the second applicator and the third applicator are connected to the source of electrical direct current, wherein the first applicator has a first polarity, the second applicator has a second polarity, and the third applicator has the first polarity, wherein the first applicator unit is configured such that the first applicator and the second applicator can be brought into contact with a plant without allowing the first applicator or the second applicator to contact the ground as the first applicator unit moves in a direction of movement of the first applicator unit, wherein the first applicator unit is configured such that the electrical direct current can be applied via the first applicator and the second applicator to the plant, wherein the first applicator remains spaced apart from the second applicator at a substantially constant distance as the first applicator unit moves in the direction of movement, and wherein the source of electrical direct current is configured so as to maintain the electrical direct current at a substantially constant level as the electrical direct current is applied via the first applicator and the second applicator to the plant. 
 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 11 , wherein the first applicator unit is configured such that the second applicator and the third applicator can be brought into contact with the plant without allowing the second applicator or the third applicator to contact the ground as the first applicator unit moves in the direction of movement, wherein the first applicator unit is configured such that the electrical direct current can be applied via the second applicator and the third applicator to the plant, wherein the second applicator remains spaced apart from the third applicator at a substantially constant distance as the first applicator unit moves in the direction of movement, and wherein the source of electrical direct current is configured so as to maintain the electrical direct current at a substantially constant level as the electrical direct current is applied via the second applicator and the third applicator to the plant. 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 11 , wherein the first applicator, the second applicator and the third applicator are arranged successively apart from one another in the direction of movement. 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a second applicator unit that includes a fourth applicator, a fifth applicator, and a sixth applicator, wherein the fourth applicator, the fifth applicator and the sixth applicator are connected to the source of electrical direct current, wherein the fourth applicator has the first polarity, the fifth applicator has the second polarity, and the sixth applicator has the first polarity, wherein the second applicator unit is configured such that the fourth applicator and the fifth applicator can be brought into contact with the plant as the first applicator unit moves in the direction of movement, wherein the second applicator unit is configured such that the electrical direct current can be applied via the fourth applicator and the fifth applicator to the plant, and wherein the source of electrical direct current is configured so as to maintain the electrical direct current at a substantially constant level as the electrical direct current is applied via the fourth applicator and the fifth applicator to the plant. 
 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 14 , wherein the fourth applicator, the fifth applicator and the sixth applicator are arranged spaced apart from one another transversely to the direction of movement. 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 14 , wherein the first applicator unit is configured to apply the electrical direct current to the plant for a first period of time, wherein the second applicator unit is configured to apply the electrical direct current to the plant for a second period of time, wherein the second period of time is longer than the first period of time when the plant extends substantially transversely to the direction of movement, and wherein the second period of time is shorter than the first period of time when the plant extends substantially longitudinally along the direction of movement. 
     
     
       17. The device of  claim 11 , wherein the source of electrical direct current is configured to generate a first electric field between the first applicator and the second applicator when the first applicator and the second applicator are connected to the source of electrical direct current, wherein the source of electrical direct current is configured to generate a second electric field between the second applicator and the third applicator when the second applicator and the third applicator are connected to the source of electrical direct current, and wherein the first electric field has a magnitude that is larger than that of the second electric field. 
     
     
       18. The device of  claim 11 , wherein a first electric field is generated between the first applicator and the second applicator when the first applicator and the second applicator are connected to the source of electrical direct current, wherein a second electric field is generated between the second applicator and the third applicator when the second applicator and the third applicator are connected to the source of electrical direct current, and wherein the source of electrical direct current is configured to control the electrical direct current such that the first electric field has a magnitude that is equal to that of the second electric field when the first applicator, the second applicator and the third applicator simultaneously contact the plant. 
     
     
       19. The device of  claim 11 , wherein each of the first applicator, the second applicator and the third applicator has a continuous outer surface.